Silo seal



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. GUNTHER S1110 SEAL;

Filed oct. 29; 1925 D'ec.14,19ze. 1 'i 1,611,025

F. GUNTHER SILO SEAL Filed 001'.. 29. -1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedDec. 14, 1926.

1,611,025 err-fi anni) Guntrrrnn, or Pneu, runners SILO snap.

Appleman ne@ ogmber 2a .1925,... aerial no.'

The Primary ,Qbiet ,et the present ini/ee ,tien f1.1@ Prmrsen ,ofSealing means. f0.1 prseyenting lthe fermentation and spoiling ofYensilage.

In carrying out the invention l provide a sealing and @Olli-missies .Cepmember vertically guided for gravitational slflns assembled Within thesilo, and which will be highly efficient in use.

lilith the above noted and other objects in View the invention consistsin certain lnovel features of construction and combinations andarrangements of parts, as Will be more fully hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understoodfrom the following description in connection With the accompanyingdrawings, wherein 1 tig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional viewthrough a silo, illustrating my improved seal in applied position.

F ig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View showing a portion of the sectionalsealing plate.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the members 24.

A dev-ice constructed in accordance with the present invention includesa Weighted sealing cap resting directly on the top of the ensilage andserving to maintain the same in compressed and airtight condition. Thereis preferably associated with this sealing cap some vertically disposedguiding means on which the cap is gravitationally slidable.

In the illustrated and preferred embodiment of the invention, thevertically disposed guiding means includes a rod carrying on its lowerend a relatively large and heavy anchoring member 11 Which may consistof an iron block or may be of other suitable construction. The cap likesealing member is formed of a plurality of connected sections 12, eachof said sections being of approximately sectoral shape, and the sectionsco-operatively providing a disc-like construction \vith a vcent-*iai`opening through which 'the guiding ropd 1 passes. As indicated 1n lfig.,3, the sections l2 are prelierahly lined 'on their faces with `tar meerand @message Cieli beta en theedges Qi adjacent sections '1S nieve-asdby the use'of radial arms 1 4 'disp sedunder adjacent edges of each pairof sections, and having their upper surfaces covered with tal' paper orsome similar medium 15 which fcoacts with under coverii se'tions 12"@Provide in "MS-tive' "seal- .Ceielins the Central enemies in the sealingdisc isa circular plate "16 having a central opening 17 therein tosnugly' 'accommgdate rs of the guide rod 1Q, and'having` the outeredgeot' its under sideiaced `with tar paper 118, 1.yhich rests on the innerr.edgesfof all Of the se tions 12'. A sleeve snrroundsgtlie guide will!)above the Seal-iris 62119; the, lcue .end off es pesi-,as im of gaskets20 Whichlie Aagainst the Altop of the plate 16. Supported on the top ofthe sleeve is a circular block 21 connected by series of struts 22, withanchoring blocks 24 secured upon the top of the sealing plate. Eachanchoring block connects a pair of adjacent sections 12, said blocksbeing disposed at right angles to the radial axis of such sections.

Tie bars 25 preferably include threaded ends passed through openings 26in the blocks 24 and secured by nuts 27. The inner ends of all the tiebars are hooked as indicated at 28 and engage ring member 29 looselyencircling a sleeve 19 above the plate 16.

From the construction as thus far described, it Will be apparent that Ihave provided a sealing cap which is gravitationally slidable on theguide rod l() to effect com pression of the ensilage. It is to beunderstood of course, that the anchoring member 11 and the guide rod areburied to a suitable depth in the ensilage While the same is beingstored.

A4 Wide band member 29a resting on the sealing plate, co-operates withthe outer edge of the sealing plate and the Wall of the silo to providea trough, which may be filled with salt, earth, or other appropriate airexcluding material to prevent the passage of air between the silo Walland the outer edge of the sealing plate.

It will be evident that the sectional construction of the sealing platepermits it to be assembled Within the silo, thereby eliminating theinconvenience of attempting,r to lift an extremely heavy sealing memberinto position in one piece. Under ordinary conditions the Weight of thesealing plate or cap is sufieient to pack down the ensilage. I findhowever, that it is desirable When the sealing cap is first. applied,and the ensilage is rather loosely packed, 'to use a coiled eX- pansionspring;V 3l around the top of the guide rod l0 above the block 2l. Bytightening a nut 32 to eiect compression of the spring, the sealing capis firmly pressed down against the ensilage, and a substantial initialpressure is had. The spring of course Will become inactive as the Weightof the sealing cap gradually depresses the ensilage and compacts thesame into a smaller space.

IVhile I have shown a guide member lO anchored in the material which isstored in the silo, it may prove desirable to provide a stationaryvertical guide member at the center of the silo, such guide member beinganchored in the ground.

lhile the embodiment of the invention illustrated is a preferred one, itwill be evident that various changes and alterations might be made inthe general form and arrangement of parts described, Without departingfrom the invention. Hence I do not Wish to limit myself to the detailsset forth, I

but shall consider myself at liberty to make suc-h changes andalterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. v

I claim:

l. The combination with a silo of a rela tively heavy sealing' capfitting Within the same for compressing the ensilage therein, a bandmember resting on the sealing cap and dening, together with the outeredge of the cap and the Wall of the silo, a trough adapted to be filledwith sealing material.

2. A sealing cap for silos comprising a fiat sectional plate adapted tofit Within the silo and rest upon the ensilage therein, a central guidepost, a sleeve mounted above the plate on the guide post, a blockcarried at the upper end of the sleeve, struts connecting' the block andthe outer edges of the sectional plate, and a series of radiallydisposed tie bars connected at their outer ends to the plate, and attheir inner ends to a common anchoring member.

3. A device as described in claim 2 Wherein the anchoring;- memberincludes a ring encircling` the guide post, and receiving the hookedinner ends of the tie bars.

FRED GNTHER.

